Red Wings 6, PawSox 2: Rochester gets to Webster in fifth inning

PAWTUCKET — Pawtucket Red Sox pitching coach Rich Sauveur feels much the same way about Allen Webster as he did about Clay Buchholz when he was working his way up with Pawtucket several years ago.

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CAROLYN THORNTON
Posted Jul. 14, 2013 @ 6:14 pm

PAWTUCKET — Pawtucket Red Sox pitching coach Rich Sauveur feels much the same way about Allen Webster as he did about Clay Buchholz when he was working his way up with Pawtucket several years ago.

“He’s young. He’s got a long ways to go,” Sauveur said of the 23-year-old Webster, who was acquired by Boston in August as part of a multi-player trade with the Dodgers. “He’s got a great career ahead of him; there’s no doubt in my mind. I said that about Buchholz, too, when he struggled. I said it’s just a matter of time when it starts.”

The 6-foot-2 right-handed Webster has thrown pretty well during his stints with Pawtucket, although his record dropped to 5-2 and his ERA jumped to 3.41with Sunday’s 6-2 loss to Rochester at McCoy Stadium.

But his appearances in Boston have been rocky — 1-2 in six starts with a 9.57 ERA.

“Before he went up the first time [in early May], he was throwing the ball exceptionally well down here,” Sauveur said. “When he came back, he had the same problems that he had up there — his command of the fastball. He was missing to arm side a lot, was not able to get in on left-handed hitters, and that’s what we need to work on.”

Webster had given up just one run and recorded five strikeouts through the first four innings of Sunday’s game, played in a steamy 89 degrees. But things fell apart for him in the fifth, as Rochester batted around and tagged Webster for five hits, including two doubles, and picked up more four runs.

Through it all, though, said Sauveur, Webster’s attitude has been “fantastic.”

“Webby’s going to be fine,” he said. “He just needs to work hard. He knows what he’s got to work on, work on getting in on left-handed hitters and locating the fastball, being able to not miss arm side so much. … I don’t think he’ll be nervous the next time he goes up because now he knows what to expect already.”

Middlebrooks homers

Will Middlebrooks’ two-run homer in the first inning — his seventh of the season — gave Pawtucket a 2-1 lead through four innings. But the PawSox managed just two more hits, both singles, the rest of the way off starter Aaron Thompson and the Red Wings’ bullpen.

Tossing three scoreless innings with four strikeouts, righty Cody Eppley earned the victory, helping Rochester win its first series in Pawtucket since 2009.

Losing 15 of its last 18, Pawtucket no longer enjoys the cushy nine-game lead it once had back on June 27, but the club has still managed to hold onto first place in the International League North with a 53-44 record.

Good time for a break

The All-Star Break is coming at a good time for everyone, considering that the PawSox have not had a day off since June 12. But it’s especially good timing for the pitching staff, which has been constantly disrupted by call-ups over the last couple of weeks. And it has shown: Pawtucket’s team ERA has increased from 3.78 on July 3 to 4.06. Over the last week and a half, the staff has posted a 1-11 record with a 6.33 ERA.

“We move guys around from reliever to starter, starter to reliever, and guys lose their routines,” Sauveur said. “Same thing with going up and down. I’ve got a guy that’s throwing every two days, two innings, 21/3, and then he goes up, and he’ll pitch three and not pitch for four days. So his routine is screwed up, and it’s very tough on these guys.

“I’m not looking for any excuses,” Sauveur is quick to add, “because I can tell you we have not pitched well, and there have been instances where we should have been able to pitch well. Our mistakes were leaving the ball up and missed location, and those cannot happen at this level. But these guys, they’re battling. They know what they’re going through. They know we’re in a slump. I think the All-Star break is coming at the right time. When we’re back again, we should be all right with a set rotation and a set bullpen, and we’ll go from there.”

The gift of grab

Ryan Dent — called up from Portland to fill Xander Bogaerts’ roster spot while he plays in the Futures Game — showed off his impressive vertical leap when he snared a sharp line drive by Jermaine Mitchell in the second inning. … Outfielder J.C. Linares, called up from Portland earlier in the week, also produced a web gem with his sliding catch on a fly ball by Deibinson Romero hit down the right-field line. … Lefty Drake Britton was called up to Boston on Sunday, and outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. was optioned back to Pawtucket. … After the three-day break, Pawtucket will set out on an eight-game road trip, beginning with a four-game series at Durham (Thursday through Saturday) and continuing with a four-game set at Norwalk (July 22-25). … The PawSox return to McCoy on July 26 for an eight-game homestand against Lehigh Valley and Norfolk.